Branding: How to avoid 5 big mistakes
We can't emphasize enough that quality brand can make a tremendous difference in your business.
Everything is important:
• the photographs you choose,
• the color palette and fonts, and
• all the design elements involved in your site.
Do not underestimate the impact that every single detail of your visual identity can have on your business.
Good graphic design inspires confidence.
Even if it is subconscious, the design of a website, business card or ad can catch your eye and make an impression on you. Think about it. Let’s say you're looking for an architect to renovate your apartment. You begin with a Google search and come across an old site with small, dark photos, and a confusing layout. How would you react? You would go back to the search results and look for a clearer, more functional website, with a cohesive color palette and professional photos. Right?
So why is it that you take this type of detail into account when you are the client, but not when you are the professional?
To help you avoid some pitfalls, here are 5 tips to make your branding as professional as your business:
1 | Take care of your own site before offering to take care of others.
When it comes to visual identity, one of the biggest mistakes is underestimating the quality of your branding. We are always shocked when we see a business that offers web design services, for example, and yet the business itself does not have good branding or an aesthetically pleasing site.
We understand that we all have to be cost conscious, especially when we are just starting out and have a small budget. But at the same time, how (for God's sake!) can someone offer marketing services like creating flyers and banners, without having their own distinct visual identity?
What colors are part of your brand? What typography should be used to speak to your target audience? What style of photography? What language should be used?
Even if you only have one website for your business, you still need a professional image.
2 | Don't buy a cheap logo.
Everyone must have seen a Facebook page that offers logos for $10.00. Seriously? Who, in their right mind, thinks that this is good enough? Your visual identity is so much more than just a cute mark ...
We can guarantee you that you will get a logo that could also be used by a photographer, butcher, or clothing store, just by changing the name.
The logos that these companies offer do not reflect your business, your vision, or your quality.
They're just ... ok.
And since you deserve well-crafted branding, you’ll probably end up having to re-do your logo. The bottom line is that you will have lost money and time using an image that had nothing to do with the quality of the service or product that you offer.
3 | Don't try the "do it yourself" method.
We really understand that you want to be in control of all aspects of your business. On the other hand, it’s much better to focus on what you do best. If you are a photographer, event producer, or architect, you should spend your time and energy doing exactly what you were trained to do, and that’s it.
That's why we hired a photographer to take pictures for my website. Could we have taken the photos? Of course we could! We’re pretty good at photography, but that’s not our main business.
Everyone knows a little bit about Photoshop, but a graphic design professional can create a professional image that reflects your business in the best possible way. Trust us.
4 | Don't change your brand often
If you constantly change your branding drastically, it looks like you're trying to follow some fashion. Maintaining a unique visual identity helps you to build a cohesive image that your target audience will recognize, thus generating trust among your followers.
A good brand is timeless, and is immune to fads, since it was designed to represent your business only.
5 | Do not rush the creation process
Let’s say you sold some jewelry to your friends, then to your friends' friends. Gradually, your circle grows, and before you know it, your mailing list has hundreds or thousands of customers on it. Can you see how this happens?
As you get busier, you begin to send your jewelry out without a card, and your packages are now purchased online without customization (or with a standard customization offered by the supplier). Then Christmas rolls around and you launch a new line ... What do you do now? How do you communicate with these new customers?
So you have a brilliant idea: you decide to hire a graphic designer to develop your visual identity because you are going to participate in a vendor fair next week, and Christmas is two weeks away and you want your business to do well. Unfortunately we have to tell you that there is not enough time and you will have to do it all by yourself.
We know, we know. You have a lot of work and a lot of clients, and you wanted to get to this sooner but it didn't work out... so take a deep breath, hire the designer (great decision!) And let him get the work done.
There is nothing worse than an 'almost' good brand, or a color palette 'that wasn't quite what I wanted but was all I had time to do'. Respect the creation process. As we said above, your visual identity has to be timeless and it has to reflect the quality and style of your business; these values are not achieved overnight.
Good branding requires study, research, hard work and many drafts to achieve what fits you like a glove.
So how can you avoid these pitfalls?
The best way to avoid these mistakes is to make an initial investment. Try to understand what makes your business unique, what defines your product or service, and what separates you from the competition.
Once you have a better defined vision, hire a good designer to give your brand a face and help you build your image.
If you want to hire us to develop your branding and website, it would be a pleasure to work with you. And we’re sure that we’ll be a great investment for your business.
Let’s schedule a free consultation so we can talk about your questions and comments,
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